The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

With the autumn here, escaping to a quick summer-ish getaway becomes harder and harder. Here’s why Fayoum may be the perfect place if you seek a calm sanctuary away from the city’s noise and stress. Known for its majestic nature and captivating beauty, Fayoum is still one of the most mood-changing and relaxing cities you can easily visit within 90 minutes of Cairo. We also know how overwhelming researching an itinerary can be, so we present a fully updated guide for Fayoum!

Where to Go

When it comes to Fayoum, there is tons of stuff to choose from in terms of what to do or where to go. We’ve gathered them all here in this guide so you don’t get lost or tired in the research process. You can also check all ticket prices and regulations for some of these spots through here.

Qarun Lake

Located on the edge of Fayoum, Qarun Lake is the perfect spot for starting and ending your Fayoum gateway. For starters, beginning your journey with the lake’s breathtaking view and fresh air marks the start of a truly refreshing trip. Meanwhile, drinking bedouin tea and enjoying live music or an entertaining fire show truly wraps up the trip into a full, exciting experience. There are also multiple camps and cafes where you can eat breakfast or chill by the lake, which we’ll be expanding on later in the What to Eat and Where to Stay sections.

Wadi El Rayan

As the centre of Fayoum, Wadi El Rayan carries the fun parts and the energetic activities of the trip. Fifteen minutes away from Qarun Lake, You can hike up Medawara Mountain, go sandboarding, watch the waterfalls, go on a safari, camp, listen to live music and enjoy the entertaining fire show by the end of the day.

El-Rayan Lake (Magic Lake)

A majestic body of water near Wadi El Rayan’s waterfalls to enjoy the sunset, the lake is so clear that it reflects all the sky’s colours, making your sunset experience absolutely magical. You can also eat and drink at one of the cafes overseeing the lake, or go shopping near the waterfalls for a variety of handmade products, such as pottery plates, cups, textiles, and drums.

Wadi Al-Hitan

Within the natural beauty of Fayoum and the stunning western desert, Wadi Al-Hitan is a natural reserve area that contains invaluable skeletons and fossils of the earliest whale species on earth from over 40 million years ago. All can be viewed by visiting the valley and Wadi Al-Hitan Fossil and Climate Change Museum. Wadi Al-Hitan has also become a favourite destination by stargazers as its clear sky and absence of light pollution mark it as a great location to view the beauty of a starry night sky.

Medinet Madi (Narmouthis)

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Located in the southwest of Fayoum, Medinet Madi is an archaeological site offering an immersive look into the various lives of our ancestors. The temple’s construction started in the Middle Kingdom and was resumed during the Ptolemaic era. It contains hieroglyphic writing, carved scenes and other monuments from the Middle Kingdom, Ptolemy, Roman, and Coptic eras. This makes it a truly one-of-a-kind historical site where you can see several mesmerising eras from the past in one location.

You can also find the Visitor Center, which provides comprehensive information boards, miniatures, and photographs of Medinet Madi. The centre also has a cafe and a library. There’s an eco-lodge as well that offers visitors a place for rest and overnight stays in the heart of the historical city. The most comfortable transportation option is an off-road vehicle, as the road to Madi is rugged.

Kom Aushim Area

Located in Karanis Archeological city on the road to Fayoum, the Kom Aushim area contains tons of Greek and Roman artefacts that date back to the second Ptolemy era, showing the lives of ancient Egyptians during that time.

Museum of Caricatures

Fayoum Art Center contains a cartoon museum on Evelyn Street in Tunis Village that is dedicated to displaying the art and history of caricature. The displays are from old magazines dating back to 1919 and over 500 drawings from the early 20th century made by notable artists such as Salah Jaheen and George El Bahjoury.

Qasr Qarun Temple

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A well-preserved Ptolemaic Temple is located northwest of Fayoum province. The temple contains several chambers, corridors, cellars, tunnels, stairways, and upper rooms dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek. The roof offers a beautiful view of the southwest desert. A moment that you must witness in this temple is the Sun Festival on the 21st of December, which marks the Winter Solstice; this day is special as the sunlight enters the temple of Qasr Qaroun, precisely aligning on the god Sobek statue. 

Pottery School & Gallery

Tunis Village in Fayoum is known for its artistic role and creative essence. Located at the heart of the village is Ibrahim Samir’s pottery school, where you can enjoy numerous displays of ceramics and pottery. You can also join in for a quick pottery workshop for only an hour to learn the basics of shaping clay, colouring, and decorating ceramic pieces.

Karanis Open Air Museum

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For a taste of ancient history, swing by Karanis Archeological City on the road to Fayoum, where Karanis Open Air Museum contains many pharaonic monuments from the Middle and New Kingdoms. Karanis City also has the Kom Aushim area, which is known for having tons of Greek and Roman artefacts dating back to the second Ptolemy era, showing the lives of ancient Egyptians during that time.

Pyramids of Fayoum

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Being a centre of heritage and arts, Fayoum city has two ancient pyramids. One is called the Hawara Pyramid, built during Amenemhet III’s rule in the southeast of Fayoum. The other pyramid is the Lahun pyramid, relating to Senusert II. Both pyramids can be visited and entered.

Where to Eat

When it comes to Fayoum, there are definitely a few standard bites that you should never miss on your visit, like starting with an oriental breakfast with Fayoumi bread and feteer meshaltet or drinking bedouin tea everywhere you go. However, here are a few restaurant recommendations to delightfully wrap up your eating experience.

Ibis Restaurant & Cooking School

Ibis Restaurant is a truly unique spot combining the art of cooking with the art of pottery. The restaurant subsides from a cooking school by Chef Marcus and serves many delicious international dishes. The place has a cosy, chill, open atmosphere where you’re surrounded by pottery art pieces that you can easily shop for. Ibis restaurant is located in Tunis Village, overseeing Qarun Lake.

Kom El-Dikka

Besides offering amazing relaxing stays, Kom El-Dikka in Tunis Village also offers the same countryside experience to your taste buds. Kom El-Dikka restaurant serves various oriental foods, but most importantly, don’t miss out on their rice casserole stuffed with pigeons, stuffed pigeons, and ducks. A reservation to the restaurant must be made in advance.

Blue Donkey

Blue Donkey offers a fine dining experience with a rustic feel; they serve a variety of cuisines. Besides their cool, bizarre decorations, what sets them apart is their live music performances, during which you enjoy your meal while listening to oud or guitar. The restaurant is located in the Lazib Inn in Tunis Village.

Set El-Beet

Another excellent oriental food spot in Tunis Village that serves a lot of delicious dishes with great portions and reasonable prices. 

Where to Stay & Chill:

Let’s say you loved it and wanted to chill at a camp during the day or overstay your night, we’ve got you covered. Here are several highly recommended stunning spots to extend that refreshing stay.

Remal El-Rayan Glamp

For a luxurious camping experience, Remal El-Rayan offers a whole different experience in Wadi El-Rayan overseeing Qarun Lake. The Glamp has several bubbles to stay in. Each bubble is a huge tent and a room with a private outdoor jacuzzi. After you enjoy that indoor haven, you can always go outside and enjoy the spacious Arabian setting in the beautiful desert, taste the delicious oriental breakfast, or have bedouin tea. 

Zad El Mosafer Guest House

Zad El Mosafer guest house is a relaxing haven in Tunis Village with a private entrance that greets you with a lush green field full of flowers. The oval-shaped rooms provide a peaceful stay with their minimalist and boho décor and are surrounded by tents with traditional arab settings, which ultimately adds to the rustic experience. A must-try at Zad El Mosafer is the fresh bread from the local oven and the honey and cheese pie.

Kom El-Dikka Agri Lodge

For a more countryside stay experience, Kom El-Dikka may be the perfect spot. Kom El-Dikka Agri Lodge is a hotel, farm, and restaurant; they have it all. The hotel is calm and cosy; you can also spend your day enjoying their various farm activities, from wandering through to collecting crops or gardening. The hotel is located in Tunis Village, overlooking Qarun Lake.

Lazibb Inn Resort

For a European countryside feel, Lazibb Inn creates the ambience of the Swiss countryside. You can enjoy your night in the comfort of your own room, warmed up by the fireplace or relaxing in the jacuzzi. The resort also has two heated pools and an outdoor private jacuzzi. Besides their festive seasonal decorations, the resort is a whole winter destination.

Waterside Loft

Another gem in Tunis Village is the Waterside Loft; a cosy vacation rental that you can easily book through their page, Booking.com, or Airbnb. With its jacuzzi and hot tub, Waterside Loft ticks off what’s missing from a Fayoum trip.

Lac Moeris Hotel

Located in Fayoum, overlooking the mesmerising beauty of Qarun Lake, Lac Moeris provides a 5-star glamping experience you won’t forget.